Taking the Good with the Bad
by HopelessRomatic
Summary: Danny and Mary finally realize their feelings for each other, but, as underlying conflict rises, Danny fears he may never see Mary again. FINALLY UPDATED!
1. Prologue

**Taking the Good with the Bad**

By: HopelessRomatic

Disclaimer: I do not own Las Vegas or any of the characters. I may wish I owned Danny, but I don't. Sorry!

Summary: Danny and Mary finally realize their feelings for each other, but, as underlying conflict rises, Danny fears he may never see Mary again.

Prologue

"Mary!" Danny McCoy called out to his true love Mary Connell across the Montecito floor. It had been nearly two months since Danny returned from Iraq and proposed to Mary yet she had still not given him an answer and he was too afraid the answer would be no to confront her.

There was no question about their love for each other. Mary had known Danny was her true love since he kissed her behind the swing set when they were four. Danny had secretly known his feelings as well, but feared he would loose Mary like he lost his mother. It was not until he was stationed in Iraq that he came to the realization that he could no longer live without kissing Mary at least once a day for the rest of his life. His original proposal was not very well planned, but all he had cared about was Mary saying yes. Yet she persisted to torment him by not giving him an answer.

Danny walked across the casino floor making his way to his true love. "So, what are you doing tonight?" Danny asked. He could not take his eyes off Mary's radiant smile. Her aroma filled his senses with a smell sweeter than fresh roses.

"I get off at 3:00, but I don't have any plans. Why do you ask?" Mary knew Danny was up to something, but she tried to act oblivious.

"Well I was hoping I could talk to you after you got off work at Mystique. Sound okay?" Danny had been trying to convince Delinda to let him use Mystique for well over a week, and now that his careful planning was finally in action, he could not help but to feel anxious.

"Sounds great! Are you going to tell me what you want to talk about?" She was hoping this was a date like situation but with Danny she knew not to get her hopes up and she wasn't about to push it. She thought that Danny proposing after he came back from Iraq was just him worrying that he'll never get married so he went for the closest two-legged creature. But her heart hurt to think that about the one she loves, so she never brought it up.

"I'll tell you. Don't worry. But later, now is not the time."

"Alright, Alright. You win Danny," Mary surrendered.

Danny leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "I have to get back to work. Ed's got me on a big case. I'll see you tonight."

Danny wished he could have told Mary every inch of his soul, but he knew she would love this surprise, so he held back.

Both Mary and Danny went back to work half-heartedly, for both their heads were in the clouds.

Later that day:

Mary would be off work in 10 minutes she could not wait to talk to Danny. Talking to him would take her mind off of all that was happening she hadn't told Danny about how she went to see her father's new wife while he was in Iraq. The only reason she had had the courage to confront her was because one of Danny's letters had inspired her.

_5 more minutes! It won't be so terrible if I take off five minutes early. It's not like I can get any work done thinking about Danny. _Mary thought she might clean up a bit before heading over to Mystique.

She looked in the mirror of the employee's bathroom. Her heart was racing at the thought of seeing Danny. "Get a hold of yourself Mary. He probably just wants to hangout as friends. That's all." She was starting to convince her mind, but her heart was telling her something different. It was all in his eyes. He was excited about something. The question was – what.

She splashed some water on her face and started to head over to Mystique.

When she reached the door she took a deep breath before opening it. "Just friends," she repeated to herself.

She pulled the handle and opened the door, but the club was dark. _Maybe Danny is running a little late,_ she rationalized letting the door shut behind her. She took a few steps further into the room. Just as she was preparing to go wait in front of the club, millions of twinkling lights lit up the room revealing ruby red rose petals making a pathway to the front of the club. Romantic music began to fill the air as Mary's eyes came to rest on the fulfiller of her dreams, her knight in shining armor, the love of her life, Danny McCoy.

He was at the end of the rose petal path looking as stunning as always with a big smile on his face. Mary slowly walked toward him. She could barely speak. _Why would Danny go to so much trouble for me? _she thought.

She reached Danny and he took her hands into his and said, "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! What is it for?" she finally caught her breath and her mind was running a mile a minute.

Danny looked straight into her eye and spoke with his heart, "Mary, since we were kids I have been in love with you. From the time we kissed behind the playground to the first time we made love. My love for you has only grown exponentially over time, and just when I think it has exceeded the greatest amount possible for a man to love a woman, I see you smile and it grows a hundred times bigger. You are my universe and without having you in my life forever would break my heart into pieces so small you could pass them through the eye of a needle. I would die just your smile. I can't keep living without being able to be the only man in your life." Danny got down on one knee and pulled a little black box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Mary Connell, will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down Mary's face. Never had she heard something so beautiful and so what her heart needed to hear. "Yes, Danny McCoy. I love you!" He embraced her and kissed her so hard that her toes when numb. It had all been worth it just to hear her say those three words. "I love you." And now she would be his bride.

Mary's Father's POV:

_That goodie two-shoe daughter of mine has messed up my life for the last time. Her and that bodyguard she's had since she was a kid. What gives her the right to destroy my family? Now I have to borrow money from a lone-shark just to be able to afford an attorney so that my soon-to-be ex-wife won't take everything I've got. I still can't believe that witch wanted a divorce after Mary told her about how I raped her as a child. I had changed but they just can't accept that. I'll show them who I really am and they won't like it. They won't like it one bit. He he!_

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This was my first FanFic so I hope you enjoy it. I have big plans for the future if you R&R. Thanks for reading! (" ) 


	2. Chapter 1

**Taking the Good with the Bad**

By: Hopeless Romatic

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters or things in the fanfic. If I did Mary and Danny would have been together from the beginning and Mike and Nessa would also be dating! But no one listens to me!

Summary: Danny and Mary finally realize their feelings for each other, but, as underlying conflict rises, Danny fears he may never see Mary again.

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Mike

"So how's life in Paradise?" Mike teased. Everyone at the Monticeno was so excited and relived that Mary and Danny were finally engaged. Nessa, Delinda, and Sam were "secretly" planning a big engagement party that everyone knew about. Mike was genuinely happy for Danny, but deep down, Mike envied Danny. Danny had found the one thing Mike needed: LOVE.

Mike had felt a void in his heart ever since his "sister" went missing. A while back, Ed had looked into her disappearance and found her a few years too late. She was already dead. It nearly destroyed Mike. He couldn't be there for his dearest family member and he felt he could never be there for any one he cared for. Mike had spent most of his time since he found out his sister died trying to discover what really happened to her. From FBI agents to shady characters, Mike did everything he could to find her killers. Until now, all he knew was that she ran away with her friends and was kidnapped while she was transporting drugs. She was held ransom when her friends only showed with half the shipment. When her "friends" couldn't come up with the other half, the drug lord killed the "friends" and had Mike's sister tortured until she was dead. Her body was found in a ditch 100 miles out of town.

The more Mike found out, the more heartbroken he became. He needed to find the man who killed his sister, but nearly all his leads had run dry. All he knew was that the man that made the final blow was a hired torturer.

Mike was getting careless in his search. He did not want Danny or anyone else to know what he was doing. But as he put in more and more hours on the street, his appearance showed his fatigue. He had to lay low for a while before he started with his next undercover plan. He had decided that he would go undercover as a big drug dealer from Ecuador. One of his Shady informants had connections to the drug underworld and Mike had the guy's only ticket out of the U.S.: a genuine U.S. passport. The shady informant was to contact Mike when it was safe to move in.

Mike's head had been spinning for weeks. He didn't know if he would make it of this thing alive. But he couldn't move on with his life until she was avenged. If Danny or Ed, or any of the girls found out about what he was planning, they would never let him out of their sight. Ed was already suspicious.

The only thing Mike could do was to get his mind off of things for a little while, and what better way than a pretty girl. Nessa was the only girl that Mike could look at and find himself lost in her wondrous beauty. But first he would have to ask her out, and Danny was better at that sort of thing.

"Life with Mary is as wonderful as ever," said Danny with a dreamy look in his eyes. They were in the security office watching the girls in the lobby.

"Glad to hear it my man. You know I've got my eye on someone special myself, and I was just wondering….." Mike saw Nessa flip her hair and was at a loss for words.

"Let me guess, Nessa, right?" There were no secrets when it came to romance at the Monticeno, and Mike and Nessa were always thought of as a couple waiting to happen.

"How did you….." Mike began.

"Everyone knows Mike, it was just a matter of time before you figured it out for yourself," said Danny.

"Ya know you sound like an old married man on his death bed, right?" Mike teased.

"Better to sound like one than to be one," Danny started walking away.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" Mike followed, walking toward the lobby.

"What do you want Mike?" said Danny, getting him off the subject.

"Oh yeah, right. I almost forgot. I have found my dream girl, the woman who fills my every desire, a person I can talk to for hours, the one I want to spend the rest of my life with…" Mike rambled.

"But you haven't asked her out yet," said Danny simply.

"Not yet. That's why I need you, Danny. You can persuade any women into kissing a monkey's butt."

"Yeah, but we're not talking about a monkey's butt. We're talking about you, and I'm no miracle worker." Danny laughed as Mike stopped walking.

"That's cold…. Look Danny, help me ask Nessa out, and I'll give you the PS2," Mike sounded desperate and remorseful about giving Danny the one joy in his life, but Nessa was worth it.

"With the green remote or the blue?"

"Blue."

"Throw in a James Bond game and you've got a deal."

"Golden Eye or the World is Not Enough?"

"Both."

Mike thought about it weighing the good and bad. Though he could only think of the bad right now. Then he saw Nessa in the distance and he knew he had to give it up. "Fine, but I get your Tony Hawk!"

"Deal."

"So how do you want to do this Danny?" Mike said almost afraid of the answer.

"I've got a plan," said Danny mysteriously.

Nessa

"Mary have you noticed anything funny about Mike and Danny lately?" Nessa asked. Nessa and Mary periodically would talk about the boys and their relationships. Mary knew how much Nessa cared for Mike and how much it hurt her that he was so blind to her affection. "It's just Mike normally tells me everything, but lately he's been closed off. It's like he's avoiding meand now Danny won't talk to me for more than ten minutes." Nessa figured it was just the boys planning something but she wanted Mary to say it was probably nothing. Nessa knew it was deeper than a simple plan. Mike looked sacred and distant the last time she saw him.

"Well if anything, Danny has gotten even sweeter since he proposed," Mary said dreamy eyed.

"Rub it in why don't you," said Nessa a bit annoyed.

"I'm sorry Nessa." Mary said, becoming more conscious of her friend. "I guess Danny has been sneaking off a lot lately. He did the same thing right before he proposed… He must be planning something."

"Okay, so Danny and Mike are planning something big. The question is what?" Nessa said, trying to read into the male psyche.

"Maybe it's another proposal? You like Mike right?" Mary said jokingly.

Nessa was stunned. What is the reason for Mike's sudden withdrawal was that he finally came to his senses and realized he loved her? What if he did want to get closer and Danny's sudden proposal showed him how? Did she even want to marry him? Nessa knew the answer to that, if he ever asked. There was soo much Nessa still wanted to know about Mike, but she knew enough to want to spend the rest of her life figuring out the rest.

"Nessa, Nessa! I was joking!" Mary said pulling Nessa back from her thoughts and back to the reality that Mike was as dense as ever and would not be proposing anytime soon.

"You're right," Nessa sighed.

"Look, I'll talk to Danny and tell you if it's anything to worry about okay?" Mary was still scolding herself for saying Mike and marriage in the same sentence, especially in front of Nessa.

"That sounds good. So I'll see you at Mystic tonight?" Nessa asked, getting back to business.

"Yeah, Danny and I get off in an hour before, so we're going home and changing first, but we'll be there… Hey, there's Danny. I better go talk to him about what's up. See you later," Mary walked off with such glee and happiness as she got closer to her love. Danny held red roses and chocolates for Mary. There was no particular reason for the gift, merely his heart pouring out.

_Why can't Mike be as romantic as Danny? The least he can do is see the love right in front of his face._ Nessa thought.

Danny

"I can't wait for tonight." Mary whispers as she clings to Danny's chest.

"This will be our first real date! I'm excited too," Danny says with a smile he couldn't hold back. Normally, he was a pretty macho guy, but with Mary… he couldn't help but show her all of himself.

"You know that we are doing this out of order. You're supposed to ask me out on a date, and then propose to me!" She laughed and Danny couldn't help but stroke her soft hair.

"Since when do we ever do what we're supposed to do?"

"True," Mary said, making Danny want her even more.

But he knew this happiness couldn't last for long, and unfortunately, today would be the start of the end.

As Mary and Danny shared their last day of happiness together, a dark hooded man lurked in the distance watching their every move.

Mary

_I can't help but feel I'm being watch, but I can't tell Danny, he's too happy. Even if he thought I was in danger he would get all worked up and never let me out of his sight. _

_My father came by earlier. He was yelling about how ruined his life is and how I owe him. I can't tell Danny, but he wanted money that I didn't have. He was probably just drunk, but I'll feel better when I'm in Danny's arms tonight. The world seems to wash away when he's with me._

Mary's Father:

_Damn it! I need that money. And all she does is sit there with that watch dog of hers! All ways smiling and happy while they make me suffer! I must calm myself. It will all be taken care of soon and my plan will finally be in action! She will never smile again after this. Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha._

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Sorry it took so long for me to update. I stopped watching the show when Danny and Mary broke up! I got really mad! but I'm better now! ... Okay, I'm not, but I hope you like this chapter! I'm still planning to continue it even though the writers are evil! lol R&R and I'll try to update faster next time:) 


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